Not too long ago, I was helping out a friend by speaking at his church. He was on a family vacation, and needed someone to fill-in while he was away. I was pretty excited about the opportunity to kick off the Christmas series called, "Be Present". I developed the whole message around this idea: "Have you ever been there, but not really there?" ( I talked about this in one of the other blog entries). I really wanted people to think about how easy it would be to let Christmas go by and miss the depth of its meaning.
The morning arrived. I was so excited to share what I had prepared. I was driving along one of the main roads in my city, and I noticed a billboard. I almost missed it, but caught it just as I was passing it. It said, with big bold letters, "What impression are you leaving?".
Have you ever had one of those moments when you know this particular thing is just for you?
I felt that way when I read the billboard!
See, we are all leaving an impression of some sort. We are all telling a story with our lives. Some of us are leaving an impression of worry, others stress. For some, it's the impression of having it all together. For some it's anger, regret, or an unforgiving heart. All of us are leaving an impression with our lives.
As you think about the day ahead of you, or, as you look back, what impression did you leave? If the people around you could tell you the imprint you left on them, what would they say?
It took a Heineken billboard to remind me that we are leaving an impression with our lives. I don't know about you, but I want to leave an impression of kindness, love, acceptance and grace.
Just Sayin!
